Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Cavalier, North Dakota
A $156,000 home here costs
$1,361per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $58,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $851. The real number is $510 higher every month, 60% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Pembina County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Cavalier from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,304 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Pembina County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Cavalier against Pembina County and North Dakota
| Measure | Cavalier | Pembina County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $155,500 | $116,600 |
| Median property tax | $1,296 | $1,165 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.833% | 0.999% |
| Median gross rent | $829 | $692 |
| Population | 1,304 | 6,787 |
The weather behind that power bill
Cavalier sits in Pembina County, which averages a high of 77.5°F in its hottest month and a low of -4.3°F in its coldest, with 20.02" of precipitation a year and 50% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 273 cooling and 10,022 heating degree days, which is what sets the $137 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Pembina County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Pembina County
No other places of this size are published in Pembina County.
Full Pembina County cost breakdown · Every county in North Dakota
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Cavalier averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Cavalier every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Cavalier I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Cavalier?
A $156,000 home in Cavalier, North Dakota costs approximately $1,361 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $851 principal and interest, $108 property tax, $67 homeowners insurance, $205 utilities and $130 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Cavalier?
Cavalier has an effective property tax rate of 0.833%, based on a median home value of $155,500 and median real estate taxes of $1,296. That is lower than the Pembina County average of 0.999%.
What is the average home price in Cavalier?
The median owner-occupied home value in Cavalier, North Dakota is $155,500, against $116,600 across Pembina County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Cavalier?
Median gross rent in Cavalier is $829 a month, against $1,361 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Cavalier?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Cavalier, North Dakota at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $58,500 a year. That covers the full $1,361 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Cavalier, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for North Dakota.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.